Whiffletree-hook



(No Model.)

J. J. GREEN.

WHIFFLBTRBE HOOK. No. 275,196. Patented 'Apr. 3, 1883.

lnvevdo, r 175%): i]: area)? UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. GREEN, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

WHIFFLETREE-HOO K.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,196, dated April 3,1883.

Application filed January 24, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, JOHN J. GREEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSafeguards for Traces; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to that class of devices by means of whichharness-traces are secured on the whiffletree, and has for its object tofasten a trace over the stud-on the whiflietree, so that it will besecure against all accidental displacement, while at the same time thedevice shall be simple in construction, economical in cost, and of readyadjustment; and with these ends in view my invention consists inattaching to said whiftletree a lever so arranged as to swing in a planeat right angles to the plane of the stud on the end of the whifiietree,said lever having near its outer extremity a projection so situated thatit will shoot through the eye of the stud on the downward swing of saidlever, all of which will hereinafter be fully described, andspecifically designated by the claim.

In order that those skilled in the art to which myinvention appertainsmay understand more fully how to make and use my improvement, 1 willproceed to describe the same in detail, referring by letters to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a plan view of my device attached to an ordinary single-treeof a vehicle. Fig.2 is a central vertical longitudinal section taken atthe line a; w of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3, a plan view similar to Fig. 1, andshowing the stud on the end of the single-tree in dotted lines.

Similar letters denote like parts in the sev eral figures.

A is a single-tree, at the extremity of which is applied my improvement,which I have shown made in two parts, B C, the former secured to thetree, and the latter, which I style a safeguard, hinged to the former insuch manner as to swingin the are shown in dotted 1 lines at Fig. 2. Atthe extremity of the safeguard C is a projection, D, which, in thedownward swing of said portion, shoots through the eye E of the stud F,for the purpose presently explained.

The application of my improved device is as follows: I apply the deviceas shown in the drawings, so that the projection D will, on the descentof the portion C, enter the eye E in the stud F. In attaching a trace tothe tree I simply lift the guard C, adjust the eye of the trace over thestud F, and let fall said guard, thereby securely confining the trace inthe manner hereinbel'ore set forth.

Prior to my invention great danger and annoyance have been experienced,owing to the continual slipping off of the traces from the stud on thetree; and, moreover, the devices as at present used for obviating thisdifficulty are very unreliable, especially when leather strips are used,which are continually rotting or breaking away.

I am aware that various devices have been constructed for securingtraces as against disengagement from the whiffletree-stud; but all ofthese are of a spring nature,or are actuated by springs, which, byconstant usage, lose their resiliency and become soft and malleable,thus rendering them entirely useless.

My improvement has nothing of a spring nature, and the swinging portion,if accidentally dislodged from its position within the stud, willimmediately drop back again .by gravity.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In combination with the stud-eye I the trace-guard made in two pieces, BC, the former secured on the Whiffletree, and the latter hinged to theformer and provided with projection D, substantially as shown anddescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. GREEN.

Witnesses:

Geo. W. KEELER, W. '1. HAVILAND.

